The 2011 AfterEllen.com Hot 100

Yes, it’s that time again. It’s the day we reveal the results of your voting efforts for our annual AfterEllen.com Hot 100 list! Rounding up photos of 100 of the most beautiful women in the world is a tough job, but we’re always willing to take on the most challenging of tasks for our loyal readers.

Since we first invited you to vote in our Hot 100 poll back in 2007, your tastes have always been diverse and substantive, making for a far more compelling read than the Hot 100 list Maxim cranks out each year (which served as the original inspiration for this list).

Without revealing too much, we can tell you that many of the women in the top 10 this year were just barely on your radar last year. Most of them are best known for their television roles.

Musicians, many of them identifying as bisexual or lesbian, also made a strong showing this year. In fact, we’re happy to report that nearly one third of the list this year is comprised of out women, and one of those women makes her first ever appearance on the list by landing a spot in the top 10. (For the record, we consider celebrities to be out when they have spoken publicly about their attraction to and/or relationships with other women.)

As is often the case, many of the heterosexual celebrities who made the list this year are beloved for their portrayal of lesbian/bi women in film and television. Even those women who’ve taken on roles that only hinted at lesbian/bi subtext are consistently rewarded with your votes. Some of the television shows in which they appeared have been off the air for over a decade. If the Hot 100 list is any indication, the loyalty of lesbian and bisexual fans has no expiration date!

Peruse the list and let us know what you think. Did your fellow readers get it right this time around? Feel free to share your thoughts on Facebook and Twitter. If you feel moved sound off in the comments below, please don’t reveal the winner in the comment subject line, since some of our readers enjoy the element of surprise.